Carson’s feud with a local crime reporter continues, and then suddenly the husband of his client is brutally murdered - a husband he’s been hired to investigate. Mysterious characters weave a web of blackmail and suspense, while leaving Carson with more clients than he can handle. The Memphis police have warned Carson to back off, but an employee of a friend is missing from a murder scene and he’s determined to find her and the killer. Follow Carson to New Orleans, Humboldt, Memphis and Florida where he chases numerous suspects trying to track down a missing person and the killer he’s been hired to find. Enjoy this unusual adventure for Carson Reno, as he struggles to solve the case of ‘Murder and More’.
Excerpt
He was short, just over five feet I estimated, with a slim frame that made him appear shorter than he really was. A well-groomed mustache sat under an oversized nose, and his eyebrows were almost as large as the mustache.
Hanging onto his left arm, much like being escorted to a prom dance was a woman whose appearance I can only describe as breathtaking. Three inches taller, and young enough to be the man’s daughter, she was dressed in a strapless, low cut, electric blue evening dress that clung to her body like paint - leaving little for the viewer’s imagination. Medium length auburn hair dangled near her shoulders without encumbrance, allowing it to bounce across her beautiful face when she walked. But, most noticeable about this beauty were her large lips, which were painted with a bright red lipstick that seemed to almost offer its own light source into the dark room.
She turned when the door automatically closed behind them, then leaned across the gentleman while whispering something in his ear – offering the viewer another interesting angle. The back of her electric blue evening dress was cut almost six inches below a slim waist, exposing the top of firm buttocks and suggesting the exposure of much more.
Almost ignoring his companion, the gentleman’s small, piercing eyes scanned the room before finally fixing themselves on me. Arm in arm they slowly walked in my direction; he casually removed his hat before speaking.
“Mr. Reno?” the gentleman questioned while extending his hand.
Professional Reviews
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BHDLXMM
A detective mystery set in the 1960s with an authentic feel of the 1960s. The book could so easily have been written then rather than in 2015. The read is nicely scattered with illustrative pictures from the period, which I can see adding a lot to the reading experience of those born later. I felt that I could be reading a period Mickey Spillane novel; the script felt that authentic. I'd even say that there are more than a few similarities between Mike Hammer and Carson Reno— well at least as how I remember the character. Then again, possibly Reno is a more James Garner in the Rockford Files TV series. Okay, that was very 1970s scripted, but the Rockford character could have been slotted seamlessly into any '50s/60s detective series. So then, for me, Carson Reno is possibly best described as a blend of Mike Hammer and Jim Rockford.
The writing has a sharp journalistic economy, never burying us in irrelevances and keeping a brisk pace. Some of the bit players are easy to confuse, but that problem is relieved by the index of characters. This is the first Darnell book I've read. Love it. I can see this series of books on every paperback turntable in front of every '60s newspaper store. The mass market paperback days are, generally speaking, history, but that shouldn't limit the availability and popularity of Darnell's Carson Reno. This book is an object lesson in how to get that old paperback buzz into the e market. For those still addicted to traditional paper, the lovers of the smell and feel of 'pulp', for those that still have or are discovering vinyl records and classic cars, the hands-on version looks just as 60s slick. The period will always be culturally cool and so will Carson, with bourbon and coke and an after dinner cigar.
This is a mystery detective novel, not a voyeuristic trip through violence and death, as so many modern genre books are. A read that may seriously damage your place in time.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BHDLXMM
This book promises to deliver exactly as its title. Yes, there is murder and more in the story. It is a mystery novel that is worth reading. I read it in one session straight.
The plot deals with a murder, the trials associated with it, the investigations behind it and of course oodles of suspense. On the other hand, this book deals with human greed, disgruntled yet calculative spouses, infidelity and more. The issues that the story touches upon truly reflects the title in an apt manner.
Gerald has the writing style that is capable of keeping you captivated and hooked on to your seats. The kind of suspense and aura that is trademark for mystery novels has been woven like magic. His narration makes visual imageries pop up in one's head. The only little hitch is a bit of repetition in dialogues that adds a tinge of monotony to an otherwise wonderful book.Instead of following the cliched route, Gerald has taken pains to describe an era gone by. The architectural descriptions, the detailed narration about people living in the sixties are something worth appreciating. It makes a reader feel as if he or she has been exported to the days of the past.
The characters are truly interesting. Each one has a distinct personality that has been well-etched. No where in the story did I feel the irrelevance of a character. The best part is that Gerald recreates the world as it was in the sixties and the people accordingly. This includes habits, food, fashion and the like.
To sum up, this book is fast paced and doesn't bore you at any given point. In fact, you will want to read 'more' after you read about the 'murder'. It is one of those mystery books you would love to have in your collection unless you are a stickler for a perfect book. But then, murder mysteries can never be perfect right?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BHDLXMM
This book follows Carson who is a private detective at his own company. He has been hired by a women Ava to find some incriminating evidence against her husband so she can divorce him, apparently the first private detective following the husband came into this knowledge and now is blackmailing her for this information to be released.
There are a lot of characters in the book, but they are easy to follow along with. The author does a great job giving a small tidbit about each of the characters when we first meet them so it is not overwhelming and you wouldn't have had to read the whole series to follow along. Also, each character presented doesn't necessarily pop back up in the book so it was easy to move on passed those encounters. The author also does an amazing job describing the scenery around Carson while he is out and about. It felt like while reading you were transported to the 1960's and seeing everything that Carson was seeing. I love how the author brought the world to life.
Carson was an interesting character to me, he seemed very smart and didn't let the big things really interrupt his day. He seemed very confident in his work and just wanted everyone to be safe. He seemed like someone who I can see people confide in easily, but he would need to work through if they were being truthful. I also liked that he let Lydia join his team since she sort of got cut out of the deal. I can see how he gets his clients through just one book. Carson also seems very intelligent to piece everything together as well as cautious making a very good detective.
I loved how in the ending the author did a great job summarizing the case. The author did a great job keeping the story moving, but I still had lingering questions on how everything was going to turn out and the author did a great job nicely summing everything up. At the end of the book I didn't have any questions left on who was involved in the case.
This is a very quick read book that you don't really need to have read the entire series to keep up with. I would suggest this as a nighttime read it is the perfect book to take your mind off a busy day and get lost in a new world.
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